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Ever since I have started buying my own bags, they seem to have got bigger and bigger every time I purchase a new one so I find myself now, at the grand old age of 21, hauling around half of my life on my right shoulder, and suffering the backpain for it! So, I have decided to begin my bag downsizing and what a better way to start than with this elegant Whistles satchel-style bag and these summery accesories to match.

Everyone has their favourite style icon of the silver screen, be it Audrey Hepburn or Katharine Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe or Greta Garbo but my personal favourite is Louise Brooks. I love the styles of the ’20s and I think she looked incredible in her silks and pearls. She seemed to be rarely without a long string of pearls draped around her neck and could often be seen adorned with glistening, ornate gems. She was the perfect combination of edgy and elegant.

Inspired by the recent posts of Katie at FashionClocked, I have been on a quest for sky blue nails. It is such an uplifting shade and really a fresh and much overdue change from the gothic, dark nails that seem to have been the go-to shade for years. Scouring the internet for blue shades, I have found that there are a lot of ‘bad blues’ – overly vivid, shimmery and reminiscent of a child’s makeup play set. Instead, I recommend going for a slightly muted, matte shade that keeps it subtle and modern.

In the spirit of putting off my studies for a few minutes longer, I began browsing the internet for owly goodies. I love owls and I think they translate extremely well into arty designs – be it a brooch, or a cushion or THIS SPECTACULAR SPARKLY OWL CLUTCH! When it popped up on my screen, my eyes widened, I leaned forwards on the edge of my seat and then, I looked at the price tag. £3,395. Ouch. It genuinely hurt.

So, until I find myself an extremely highly paid job or a winning lottery ticket or a magic lamp, I shall have to satisfy my Bejewelled Owl cravings with these, still rather special, earrings from TopShop.

Peering into the deep, dark recesses of my makeup bag this morning, I realised that the best thing I could possibly do to it would be to bin it. It is a disgrace – endless unflattering eyeshadow colours, unusably short pencils without lids, leaking lipglosses and one mascara that I swear must be older than me. Perhaps inspired by the ridiculously hot weather we have had here over the last few days, I decided what I needed was to start afresh and have a makeup set of simply the basics, so I put together this list:

1. Dual Protection Tinted Moisturiser, No.7.

2. the COLLOSAL Volum’ Express Mascara, Maybelline.

3. All Over Color Stick in Pink Lemonade, E.L.F.

4.CandyShop Lip Tin in Candy Fix, E.L.F.

5. Eye Liner in Black, Ruby & Millie.

E.L.F. (www.eyeslipsface.co.uk or www.eyeslipsface.com) is a makeup brand that I have recently discovered and whilst their products are somewhat reminiscent of M.A.C, their prices are most definitely not. Most of their everyday products are around £1.50 and their ‘studio’ line products still only around £3.50. They also have a great selection of bags and cases. I am yet to order from them and test out their products but I’ve heard very good things from friends! I shall be placing an order very soon.

I watched the Kate Moss video advertising her Topshop range this morning, which can be found here. And then I watched it again, with a strange look of bewilderment creeping across my face.

Is it just me, or is there something horrifically, well, cringe-inducing about it? It’s like watching a very drunk girl in a club trying desperately to get any male attention she can; all hair swished across her face and desperate attempts at ‘come to bed’ stares. I had to turn it off half way through the second viewing.

As for the clothes, well I can’t really say much because they are mostly obscured by the bizarre too-bright-to-see-anything lighting and Kate’s insane hair tossing. It goes everywhere! However, going on previous Kate Moss collections, I can’t say I have high hopes. I have always been very wary of her section in TopShop as all the designs seem a bit contrived. It’s as if she took nice looking simple items and just threw colourful buttons and weird embroidery at them, then cut it up a bit asymettrically and then revealed it to an awed crowd. Not for me, even being one of the most diehard Topshop fans around.

I rarely stray onto Net-a-porter for fear of bankrupting myself from just looking at the pictures but I happened to do so today and came across this my-life-will-not-be-complete-until-I-am-wearing-it white lace dress. However my student budget refuses to allow for it. Luckily though, Topshop has a fairly similar substitute and Warehouse offer two slightly different white lace alternatives. Now all that is needed to save it from being a bit too bridal is a black leather or stonewash denim jacket to ‘scruffy it up’ in a way that would horrify my mother yet please me greatly.